In addition to the NYX products, I also applied a touch of Victoria’s Secret’s Beauty RushWet/Dry Shadow in Gold Rush on the center of my eyelid for an eye brightening effect as well as the darkest, almost black eyeshadow from my BH Cosmetics 88 Neutral Palette in my crease (well, technically I don’t have a crease–instead, the area of where a crease would be, almost where you can feel the eye socket) and outer corner for extra smokiness. I followed up with my Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackened Brown on my upper lash line, Styli-Style Line & Style 24 Twist Eyeliner in Black Brown on my inner rim/water line, Shiseido Nourishing Mascara Base, and Maybelline Define-a-Lash Volume Waterproof Mascara in Black on both my upper and lower lashes (after curling them first!). If you have questions on any of the other products I’m wearing with today’s close-up, feel free to leave me comment!

The final word on repurchasing NYX Eyeshadow Base in #ESB03 Skin Tone:

Just so you know, I don’t use eyeshadow primer ever because I’ve never had any problems with creasing or my eyeshadow wearing off too quickly, so my opinion may not be the best to rely on if you do have issues with creasing or lasting eye makeup issues. I am not even going to offer pros or cons on this product, instead I will just give you my observations.

This primer seemed to do the job I believe eyeshadow primers in general are meant to do. I had no problems with my eyeshadows wearing off as the day went on and the colors stayed true to how they appeared in their pans.

The flesh tone left a neutral base for your shadows which I think would be especially beneficial to those who have discolored or vein-y eyelids. NYX also has a pearl and white toned base as well.

Very budget friendly price (I think around $6)!

Yes, I will repurchase if I decide that eyeshadow primer is an essential to my makeup routine. I do recommend those of you who use eyeshadow primer on a regular basis to try the NYX eyeshadow base if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the cult classic Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion which I know is much pricier.

Don’t tell my husband (actually he’ll eventually find out since he likes to check up on my blogging!), but I picked up a few items that I’m running low on and wanted to “research” to put onto my blog! I tell my husband as a good beauty blogger, I must stay current with all the new beauty products and trends that are coming out almost all the time. My readers deserve to have a well-informed self-proclaimed beauty expert who is up-to-date with the greatest and latest that the beauty and fashion world has to offer. Hopefully I can convince him to believe this because it’s true, for the most part–haha!

Now let’s get to the good stuff! Here’s all my loot from my most recent loot-y call:

Don’t worry, I plan on posting reviews on products as I try them out! I’m excited with everything I picked up and hopefully you are too!

Do you own anything my loot-y call list? If so, can you comment on any of the products? What’s the most you spent in one day doing a loot-y call of your own? Please share your beauty wisdom with everyone! Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

For my basic, everyday makeup wardrobe I tend to stick to very similar colors and variations of such shades which most of the general public would not be able to tell the difference. But of course, myself being a makeup aficionado and others like me, can assure you that we possess a special ability to discern between multiple shades that might be considered by others to be the exact same color. Since I tend to wear mostly neutral taupes, grays, and browns on my eyes, pinky-peaches on my cheeks, and various versions of nude on my lips, it is quite rare for me to invest in other colors out of my comfort zone. I find the best way to purchase a variety of other colors, especially when I do not plan on wearing them often, is through makeup palettes which often times are at a value price versus paying for each individual shade. One such palette that I like to use when I am going out, feeling daring or fun, needing a pick me-up, or doing makeup for others is my Sephora Blockbuster Palette (the original 1st edition which I believe cost me $40?) which contains a wonderful variety of bright colorful shades, in addition to some of my more familiar neutrals.

As you can see this palette houses 64 eyeshadows, 8 blushes (one that is similar to a highlighting powder), 22 lip colors (some glosses, some fuller coverage lipsticks, and a couple glittery balms), and some cheap-o brushes and applicators. The variety of eyeshadow colors range from pinks, lavenders, purples, grays, pearls, creams, golds, russets, browns, taupes, greens, teals, blues, and I’m sure there’s still other color families I’m not including as well. Lip colors range from plums, mauves, roses, pinks, reds, russets, nudes, golds, corals, browns, tans, and glittery balms in silver and clear (who I have no idea would use unless they perhaps work in a Vegas show?!?!). The blushes in this palette are all very pretty and wearable; shades of pinks, peaches, corals, roses, light reds, plums, and a very pale pink highlighting powder are included. I do have to note that all of the blushes in this palette do contain shimmer, some more than others.

With all of the shades that are provided in this palette, there are an endless amount of looks that one can create. The ~$40 I paid was an absolute steal for all of the product that you are getting! The eyeshadows seem decently pigmented, but not quite as much color payoff than other makeup lines such as MAC or Shu Umera or other artistry lines. I don’t mind having less pigment in the eyeshadows because wearing the bright colors sometimes makes me feel like a clown or something, so the softness and sheerness is appreciated by me. However, the blushes are definitely more pigmented than the eyeshadows and a light dusting with my blush brush gives me beautiful color on my cheeks! The lip colors are my least favorite part of the palette because I just have too many other lip products that I like much better. Although one way that I do enjoy using the lip colors is to blend them with other shades (either from the palette or other lip products I have) and create my very own, unique lip color!

It will take me forever to use up this palette, but I do encourage other makeup enthusiasts to invest in a palette like this if you are wanting to be more creative with your looks, like to experiment, and have lots of options! Sephora has since come out with many versions of this palette, some smaller or larger in size. Many makeup lines also make palettes that are similar.

As a side note, I have recently purchased some palettes from Coastal Scents and BH Cosmetics. I’m very excited to see what all the hype is about that I’ve read on various beauty blogs and on YouTube about these two palettes, but am wondering for those of you who already own palettes from either one or both of these companies, what are the eyeshadows and blushes color payoff/pigmentation like? I’ve seen some who rave about the quality being similar to that of MAC’s and others who say they are chalky and definitely require eyeshadow primer to really show off the colors? Please share your experiences with the palettes from Coastal Scents and BH Cosmetics! I will be posting reviews of both once I receive my palettes, so stay tuned!

Do you own any makeup palettes? If so, which ones? Why do you like makeup palettes? Is there a makeup palette that you are dying to have? Feedback is greatly appreciated!

How long is too long to do your makeup? Some might say five minutes and others might say an hour plus. Well, on average my everyday makeup look that I would, for example wear to work (I’m a fifth grade teacher!) takes approximately twenty minutes or so and provides me with a polished, professional, and presentable look that I’m very satisfied with. I realize that not everyone enjoys the process of “putting on their face” as much as I do and would think twenty minutes is way too long for just putting on makeup, so I wanted to share with you a close-up of a FIVE MINUTE makeup look that I sometimes use when I’m either in a rush, just running errands, or simply being lazy (which in the summertime when I’m not teaching is almost everyday-haha!). Even though many of you may think this five minute makeup look would be great as my everyday look and I thank you for the compliments, but I know that I feel a bit more confident about how I look when I have an extra fifteen minutes to “work” on my face 🙂

When you only have five minutes to “put on your face,” what are your must have beauty products? How long does your everyday makeup look take you to complete and what products are you using for that look? Share your thoughts! Feedback is much appreciated! Remember, although I claim to be “The Word On Beauty,” I’m definitely not the “final” word on beauty so please don’t be shy and contribute 🙂

Makeup primer used to be a product that only true beauty gurus knew of, used, and purchased back in the day. Only very high end or makeup artistry geared lines carried these “magical” makeup primers that were supposed to “prime” your face for the absolute “perfect” makeup application afterwards. Many primers claim to work by prepping your skin into a smooth, poreless, shine minimized canvas that would allow your makeup to go on flawlessly and endure hours of wear without looking greasy and worn down by the end of your day/evening. One of the industry leaders of makeup primers would be Smashbox Cosmetic’s Photofinish Foundation Primer which is said to on Sephora’s website do the following:

The silky blend of vitamins and antioxidants smoothes and perfects skin while the unique formula helps to inhibit the destruction of collagen, and fills in fine lines and pores for a flawless finish.

I have indeed purchased and used this primer several times and really do believe in the claims it makes, but the price for the amount you get ($36 for 1 oz or $42 for added SPF 15) seems a bit too steep and unjustifiable even for beauty addicts such as myself who will go to any length to get the products that work. Especially with the surge of most makeup lines, including many drugstore brands, coming out with a makeup primer of their own, I had to see what else was out there.

Recently I have purchased Avon’s MagiX Face Perfector SPF 20 which retails at $10 and Rimmel London’s Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer which I purchased for $7.59 at Ulta, both for 1 oz of product.

Here are my own personal opinions (the following comments only reflect how the product applied and wore on my combination to oily on the t-zone face, which of course will be different from others and their skin types!) on the Avon MagiX Face Perfecter SPF 20 primer:

PROS–

has light reflecting particles which imparts a slight shimmery glow to my skin

has SPF 20 which is fantastic to protect my skin from the sum

feels lightweight on my skin

the product comes out of the tube like a thick gel-cream and transforms to a powdery texture almost immediately when rubbed onto my face

my makeup held on well throughout the day with maybe 1-2 touch-ups on my t-zone with an oil-blotting paper to reduce shine

great price point and easy to purchase online or I guess through an Avon consultant if you’d prefer

CONS–

since the product is the consistency of a thick gel-cream, I found it difficult to squeeze out of the tube (kind of like old toothpaste??); I either squeezed to lightly and barely got anything out or squeezed with too much force getting way too much product than needed for one application to my face

the primer’s powdery texture once on the skin makes it hard to spread around evenly so my drier areas on my face like my cheeks got either too little or too much primer

the shimmery light reflecting particles might have made my t-zone shinier than needed as the day went on

moisturizer really is necessary underneath the primer to hydrate those drier areas, even though I prefer to use only a makeup primer in place of a daytime facial moisturizer since my skin is not excessively dry

THE FINAL WORD ON REPURCHASING–Yes, if on sale which Avon does quite frequently and to use especially during the summer season when my face is oilier and needs the extra SPF 20 protection.

Here are my own personal opinions (the following comments only reflect how the product applied and wore on my combination to oily on the t-zone face, which of course will be different from others and their skin types!) on the Rimmel London’s Fix & Perfect Primer:

eventually dries leaving behind a smooth canvas without a powdery feeling like Avon’s primer which is good for my drier areas on my face like my cheeks

my makeup held on well throughout the day with maybe 1-2 touch-ups on my t-zone with an oil-blotting paper to reduce shine

great price point and easy to find in most drugstores and general variety type stores like Target and Fred Meyer

CONS–

no SPF protection included so either my foundation will have to include one or I must also wear a separate product with SPF or use only for the evening

primer is tinted with a sheer apricot color that seems to blend into my skin tone, but may be a problem for others

a couple of minutes is needed to fully absorb into my skin

squeezes out a bit too excessively since the primer is more fluid-like than Avon’s so care must be taken to not waste product

THE FINAL WORD ON REPURCHASING– Yes, I will repurchase if I happen to see it on sale because I like the consistency of Rimmel London’s primer more than Avon’s and I will have to make sure my foundation has SPF protection and/or not plan to be out in the sun for a prolonged period of time.

Both of these budget-friendly makeup primers do what they say and each has its definite advantages for use and wear. However, neither of these two are my ultimate, Holy Grail worthy makeup prime rand therefore, the quest continues.

Anyone out there have a good makeup primer that can replace my daily facial moisturizer, has SPF protection, and won’t break the bank? If so, please do share with all of us! What is your favorite makeup primer regardless of the features I’m specifically looking for in a primer? Does anyone think primers are an absolute unnecessary product that companies have promoted just to make more money? All thoughts are welcome!

As a former makeup artist for Bobbi Brown cosmetics, I have always cherished every opportunity given to me where I can transform a woman into looking and feeling her best just because I was able to enhance her natural beauty with a touch of strategically selected makeup products, shades, and placement of such on her face. The wonderful privilege of doing a woman’s bridal makeup for one of her most memorable and significant days in her life, and when the bride is an actual friend makes the whole makeup artistry process even more meaningful and special to me! I was honored to be a part of my friend Lisa’s wedding this past weekend by being asked to do her bridal makeup as well as her bridesmaids!

Here are my gorgeous friends:

From left to right are Brynne, Heather, Lisa (the bride-to-be!), Gina, Leslie, and Nicole.

Soon-to-be brides should check out Lisa’s close-up to get ideas and suggestions for their upcoming wedding day. This bridal look is a simple, natural, but radiant makeup application that shows off the bride’s true beauty instead of masking it behind a ton of unnecessary colors and products on her face. In addition to being a perfect bridal look, this close-up would be fantastic for anyone interested in a feminine, soft, and warm color palette for everyday!

Here is Lisa’s close-up-

On Lisa’s face:

Alima Pure Satin Matte Foundation in a 50-50 Blend of Warm 3 & Golden 4 used with a bareMinerals Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush underneath her eyes and around her nose, mouth, and on very small areas of redness on her cheeks

Here are Lisa’s beautiful bridesmaids and although, I will not provide a breakdown of each bridesmaids’ close-ups, feel free to leave me a comment or contact me at thewordonbeauty@gmail.com for additional information on any of the specific looks shown below–

Thank you Lisa for letting me be a part of your special day! You were an absolutely breathtaking bride and Jerry is one lucky guy! Congrats Lisa and Jerry!

~Amy, The Word On Beauty

Describe your ultimate bridal makeup look. Do’s and Don’ts for brides-to-be? Which waterproof mascara formula holds up the best during all of the tears of joy that are usually shed at weddings? Anyone have a bridal makeup crisis like having too much SPF in your foundation so that you end up looking like a washed out ghost in all of your wedding photos while the rest of your body has been spray tanned a beautiful I’m-going-to-Hawaii-for-my-honeymoon-bronze? Share your comments, ideas, thoughts, and questions!

For those of you needing fresh ideas on makeup looks or you’re just curious about what I’m wearing on my face, here is today’s close-up:

I’m playing on my sister, Joyce’s new Mac Book Pro and using her Photo Book application as well as a traditional digital camera to take photos of my close-up. The colors are coming out differently, but I thought it would be interesting for you to see the differences.

On my face:

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 in a 50-50 blend of Rich Vanilla and Pure Honey all over the face as my foundation

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in Birthday Suit all over the eyelid as a base

Maybelline Cool Effect CoolingShadow/Liner in On the Rocks #37 applied from the top lashline to the middle of my eyelid where my crease would be and also lined underneath on the lower lashline, smudged with my fingers on the eyelid as well for a smokier look

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Spotlight Beige all over as my lip color

What do you think of today’s close-up? Is there a certain makeup look that you would like me to do a close-up on? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Email Subscription to The Word on Beauty

Enter your email address to subscribe to The Word on Beauty blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 14 other followers

About The Word On Beauty

You don't have to be ashamed of your beauty product and fashion obsessions, instead embrace it like I have and subscribe to my blog! A hundred lipsticks in various shades of the same color, a new gotta have VIX bikini in the middle of winter and you live in the Pacific NW, or the lack of self-control when it comes to skipping a visit to Sephora or Ulta when the opportunity arises--does this sound like you? If so, FABULOUS! Subscribe to this blog and satisfy your beauty and fashion cravings :-)